Record number of clubs benefit from engage with your club
A record number of grass roots rugby league clubs are set to benefit from improved facilities thanks to volunteering initiative, engage with your club.
Now in its third year the initiative was introduced by Engage Mutual during its time as Super League sponsor with the aim of helping grass roots rugby league clubs across the UK to improve and rejuvenate their facilities.
In partnership with Rugby League Cares and the RFL Facilities Trust; this summer was engage with your club’s most successful since its introduction, with an impressive 56 amateur rugby league clubs taking part, supported by an estimated 1,700 volunteers who between them gave more than 9,000 hours of their free time.
Amongst the helpers were a number of famous rugby league faces including England Coach, Steve McNamara, who took time out from England’s World Cup preparations to lend a hand at his former amateur club Skirlaugh ARLFC in Hull.
Speaking at the event, Steve said: “It’s been a fantastic summer for grassroots rugby league clubs and the engage with your club initiative has been an outstanding success.
“It’s important to remember while we’re watching so many stars play in the World Cup that they all came from the community game. Initiatives such as these are essential in ensuring the continued success of rugby league at both community and very top level.”
Each participating club was encouraged to hold an action event and mobilise a volunteer task force to enhance their facilities.
The club deemed to have held the best event will receive £2500 of funding from Engage Mutual. Every other participating club will go into a draw to win one of 10 prizes of £1000, courtesy of the RFL Facilities Trust. The engage with your club award winners will be announced at the RFL Community Awards event held on Grand Final day at Old Trafford, Saturday 5 October.
James Ogden, community activation manager at Engage Mutual, said: “It’s been fantastic to see so many people supporting their clubs up and down the country this summer. In an affordable fashion, so many clubs have made impressive improvements to the provision of the sport in their community. All of this has been achieved by the time and energy donated through impressive volunteer workforces. A lot of people have a great deal to be proud of!”
Amongst the impressive list of activities carried out this year was the installation of pitch barriers, painting of clubhouses and changing rooms, as well as the improvement of the land surrounding clubs.
For further information and a selection of videos and photos visit: www.engagemutual.com/rugby or for more information on Rugby League Cares please visit www.rugbyleaguecares.org